If you knew anything about Romans, you would realize it is Paul's systematic theology on the grace and mercy of God. It is about how we ONCE were under the law, but are no longer. He goes into the Jews in chapters 9-11 and how they obey the law but they are NOT saved.
Paul starts with sin, the depravity of humans, then moves into the glorious grace of God in chapter 8. You simply cannot pull verses out of chapters 1-7 and say that is what God is saying. Those verses in isolation are taking about the law, but as an actual letter, Paul is spelling out the truth of salvation by grace. He goes from what we were, depraved sinners, to what we are, saved by grace, to what we are becoming - transformed!
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be[SUP]
[i][/SUP]
against us? [SUP]32 [/SUP]He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? [SUP]33 [/SUP]Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. [SUP]34 [/SUP]Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us" Romans 8:31-34
Then Paul moves onto God's plan, which does not include works or keeping commandments, but rather the Holy Spirit working in and through us to transform us!
"Do not be conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2.
Paul talks about the gifts of grace and how we are all to work together in love for the Kingdom of God.
Josh already posted this verse, but it is worth posting again, but this time in plain English!
[SUP]"[/SUP]Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. [SUP]9 [/SUP]For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” [SUP]10 [/SUP]Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." Romans 13:8-10
The Message, which is the most modern English translation makes it even more readable and really sums up the essence of how we are to be as Christians.
"Don’t run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other. When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. The law code—don’t sleep with another person’s spouse, don’t take someone’s life, don’t take what isn’t yours, don’t always be wanting what you don’t have, and any other “don’t” you can think of—finally adds up to this: Love other people as well as you do yourself. You can’t go wrong when you love others. When you add up everything in the law code, the sum total is love." Romans 13:8-10
I pray for all those who think that keeping the laws (plural - Levitical, of Moses, etc) is the way of Christ.
The way of Chris is
the sum total is LOVE. Paul says it, John says it, and Jesus Christ says it. Praying for those who cannot see to see the light of Christ and his love.
I dont want to get into every subject here as I have done this over and over to no avail. I dont disagree with all you say but I want to point a few thigs out:
Certianly none can enter the kingdom on works, we all need mercy, which comes in the form of the blood of the Messiah.
But you said: " He goes into the Jews in chapters 9-11 and how they obey the law but they are NOT saved. "
Actually this is not true, the Jews or pharisees made and folloed and enforced their own law, called the oral law/Talmud, here is a little info:
Talmud - Mas. Baba Metzia 59b
We learnt elsewhere: If he cut it into separate tiles, placing sand between each tile: R. Eliezer declared it clean, and the Sages declared it unclean; and this was the oven of ‘Aknai.1 Why [the oven of] ‘Aknai? — Said Rab Judah in Samuel's name: [It means] that they encompassed it with arguments2 as a snake, and proved it unclean. It has been taught: On that day R. Eliezer brought forward every imaginable argument ,3 but they did not accept them. Said he to them: ‘If the halachah agrees with me, let this carob-tree prove it!’ Thereupon the carob-tree was torn a hundred cubits out of its place — others affirm, four hundred cubits. ‘No proof can be brought from a carob-tree,’ they retorted. Again he said to them: ‘If the halachah agrees with me, let the stream of water prove it!’ Whereupon the stream of water flowed backwards — ‘No proof can be brought from a stream of water,’ they rejoined. Again he urged: ‘If the halachah agrees with me, let the walls of the schoolhouse prove it,’ whereupon the walls inclined to fall. But R. Joshua rebuked them, saying: ‘When scholars are engaged in a halachic dispute, what have ye to interfere?’ Hence they did not fall, in honour of R. Joshua, nor did they resume the upright, in honour of R. Eliezer; and they are still standing thus inclined. Again he said to them: ‘If the halachah agrees with me, let it be proved from Heaven!’ Whereupon a Heavenly Voice cried out: ‘Why do ye dispute with R. Eliezer, seeing that in all matters the halachah agrees with him!’ But R. Joshua arose and exclaimed: ‘
It is not in heaven.’4 What did he mean by this? — Said R. Jeremiah: That the Torah had already been given at Mount Sinai;
we pay no attention to a Heavenly Voice, because Thou hast long since written in the Torah at Mount Sinai,
After the majority must one incline.5R. Nathan met Elijah6 and asked him: What did the Holy One, Blessed be He, do in that hour? — He laughed [with joy], he replied, saying, ‘My sons have defeated Me, My sons have defeated Me.’ It was said: On that day all objects which R. Eliezer had declared clean were brought and burnt in fire.7 Then they took a vote and excommunicated him.
Every translation reads as such, as all Greek texts read this way:
New International Version Mt 23:2-3
"The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.
So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach."
King James Bible Mt 23:2-3
"Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not."
However Yahweh has left us truth!
Shem Tob's Hebrew Mattithyah
Mattithyah 23:2-3, "The Pharisees and Sages sit upon the seat of Mosheh.
Therefore, all that he (Mosheh) says to you, diligently do, but according to thier takanot (reforms) and thier ma'asim (precedents) do not do, because they talk (Torah) but they do not do."
Takanot: reforms or enactments that (falsely) "change or add" to Yahweh's Law.
Ma'asim: acts or deeds that serve as precedents for rabbinic law.
Both Takanot and Ma'asim are laws of the Talmud.
THIS IS THE BURDEN!
The "rabbis" interpret Scripture by something called Midrashic interpretation, which ignores language and ignores context. They say Scripture is a divne code and only the rabbis have the knowledge to decipher that divine code. Here is an ACTUAL example of Midrashic interpretation used by the rabbis:
They take Exodus 23:2, "
Do not follow the crowd in doing evil. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd."
After Midrashic interpretation is applied, they come out with : "
follow the crowd."
Thus even when one disagrees or knows something is wrong he must, "follow the crowd," or as the Talmud puts it in Baba Metzia 59b (top of post), "after the majority must one incline."
Deuteronomy 30:11-13, "For this Law which I command you this day is not hidden from you,
nor is it beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask; Who will ascend up into heaven for us, and bring it to us, so that we may hear it and then do it? Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask; Who will cross the sea, and bring it to us, so that we may hear it and then do it?"
After Midrashic interpretation is applied, they come out with : "‘
It is not in heaven.’4 What did he mean by this? — Said R. Jeremiah: That the Torah had already been given at Mount Sinai;
we pay no attention to a Heavenly Voice" (Baba Metzia 59b)
Mattithyah 15:2-3, "Why do Your disciples transgress the traditions of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat. But He answered, and said to them:
And why do you transgress the Laws of Yahweh by your traditions?"
Mattithyah 15:8-9, "These people draw near to Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."
This is still prevalent in modern religion.
So when Shaul says in Romans 10:3, "Since they, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from Yahweh,
and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to Yahweh's righteousness."
It is talking about them not submitting to Yahweh's instruction, but instead establishing their own instructions, the Talmud. This verse is constantly used to make a false witness against Yahweh's righteousness alot.
If one loves they have fulfilled the Law, but that love has to be according to what Yahweh says love is not our impure minds say love is. If you look at post 243 I have some passages from Leviticus, read that please and tell me if you think one did half of that if they would be a loving person or not.
Also there is nothing wrong with preaching Yahweh's Law: (as long as it's not for Salvation only)
Mattithyah 5:19, "Whosoever, therefore, will break one of the least of these Laws, and will teach men so, hhe will be called the least in the Kingdom of Yahweh;
but whosoever will do and teach them, the same will be called great in the Kingdom of Yahweh."
Why would he say do and preach something that is "bad."
This is the Messiah's words here.
Mattithyah 5:18, "For truly I say to you; Unless heaven and earth passes away, one yodh--the smallest of the letters--will in no way pass from the Law, until all things are perfected."